A news-based journal on the Boston restaurant scene. The owner of this blog is also the founder of Boston's Hidden Restaurants, a website that focuses on local dining spots.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Rina's Pizzeria and Cafe Is Opening in Boston's North End

Two years ago, we reported that the person behind several Boston-area restaurants was planning to open a new eatery in the city's North End neighborhood. Now we have learned that it is finally getting close to opening, though with a slightly different name.

According to a Twitter post from @ConciergeBoston, a sign is now up for Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe on Hanover Street, with the NorthEndWaterfront.com site indicating that this is the place Nick Varano (and The Varano Group) had been looking to open originally as Strega Pizzeria & Cafe. A few months back, we mentioned that the Boston Licensing Board wanted to know why the dining spot hadn't opened, as the plans date all the way back to the spring of 2013; Varano's attorney told the board that the delay was due at least in part to issues concerning the installation of kitchen vents.

In addition to the upcoming Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe, Nick Varano also runs Strega in the North End (which is next door to Rina's), Strega on the waterfront, two locations of Caffe Strega within the city, Strega Prime in Woburn, and Nico in the North End.

[June 8 update: A new article from the NorthEndWaterfront.com site indicates that Rina's will open sometime this week.]

The address for this new restaurant in Boston's North End is: Rina's Pizzeria & Cafe, 371-373 Hanover Street, Boston, MA, 02113. The website for The Varano Group can be found at http://www.thevaranogroup.com